Jan 2000 - Lyndon Amick, driver of the number 35 Powertel/Mitsubishi Wireless Chevrolet in the Busch Grand National series, sat down and fielded questions from fans in the Race 2 Win question and answer session. Lyndon will be returning to the driver's seat of the 35 this season after a breif hiatus in 1999, turning the wheel over to Winston Cup regular Elliott Sadler. Lyndon returned to the 35 for the final three races of the 1999 season and scored a top ten finish at Memphis.
Now on to the questions and answers:
How hard was it for you to make the decision to step out of the car last season and let Elliott drive? Do you think that it was the right decision? I thought that you closed out the season in fine fashion!
Chuck
Florida
It was very hard to step out of the car, but it was a good learning experience. I got the chance to work with the guys, shoulder to shoulder in the garage area, and that taught me a lot. I don't ever want to have to step aside again, and I don't plan to, but I don't regret the decision. I think it proved some things to a lot of people, including myself.
Lyndon, the biggest topic of discussion latley here in South Carolina is the Confederate flag a top the Capitol building in Columbia. Being from South Carolina, what are your thoughts on this controversial issue?
Greg Joines
Anderson, SC
I think that the flag is kind of the victim in all this. I think that most people who support the flag don't see it as a racist symbol, or as a symbol of hate. I think that the flag supporters see the flag as representing the heritage of the state, and that it's a part of the history of South Carolina. I also understand that others disagree with that point of view, so I can definitely see where maybe it shouldn't fly above the Capital building. I think that it should fly above a Civil War Memorial. I don't think that the flag should be completely eliminated, though. There's room for a compromise, I think.
What are your views on Winston Cup drivers in the Busch series??? Thanks and good luck!!!
Judy Fox
Calif
I wish I had a dollar for every time someone's asked me this question in the past year or so. I think that it's a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I think that the only way to test yourself and your abilities as a driver is to compete against the best guys in the sport. When someone like Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Ken Schrader, Jeff Burton and the other Cup guys come over and run a Busch race, it definitely gives you a chance to see what you've got to offer in relation to those guys.
When I qualified third behind Martin and Gordon at Las Vegas last year, I'd have told you that I love having the Cup guys in the field. On the other hand, we missed the Charlotte race last Spring, in part because there were so many entries there, a lot of which were Cup drivers. If you'd asked me then, I'd have said that I didn't want them in the Busch Series at all. I do think that there have been a lot of good Busch drivers who are trying to run the full season that have had to load up and go home, while some Cup guys who are only running a few Busch races a year are able to stay and compete. Is that fair? I don't really think so, but I also don't have the solution to the problem.
What happens if mother nature calls during a race???
Sammy
Cambridge
Well, let me answer that question this way. There are no time-outs, there are no halftimes, and you never see the drivers get out of their cars. I'll let you use your imagination from there. As the saying goes, "when you gotta go, you gotta go!" If you've ever wondered why you sometimes see drivers change out of their firesuits as soon as they get out of the car, now you know why.
Hey Lyndon!! I have pulled for you for a few years now, and wish you much luck in your upcoming racing season and career. I read that yer father once drove for Holman-Moody and Ralph Moody said Bill was a "straitlaced, temperate, family man." I would like to know if your dad ever told you how to drive and if it would upset you if someone was to give you advise on how you should or should not drive???
Swamp Fox
Lexington, SC
No, I'm afraid that's a different Bill Amick. My dad was never a racecar driver, he's just a chicken farmer! My dad has never given me advice on my driving, but he has learned quite a bit about the setup of a racecar since he's been a team owner.
As far as other people offering me driving advice, I guess it just depends on who's the one giving the advice. I certainly don't mind taking advice from a driver that I admire and respect. I'm not arrogant enough to believe for one second that I don't have a lot left to learn about driving. The day you start thinking that you know all there is to know about driving is the day that you need to get out of the racecar.
Hey Lyndon, I'm always curious to know what cars the drivers use on the street. What kind of car do you drive on the street? Do you put performance mods on it?
Kurt
Farmington, MI
I have a BMW M-5, and I just bought a 1979 El Camino. I'm putting a 502 cubic inch motor in the El Camino, but the BMW is fast enough without me doing any modifications to it.
Hey Lyndon, best of luck in the #35 car, look forward to
seeing you in Texas, when did first realize that racing
would be your way of making a living?
JJ
Derby, KS
When I was 18, right before the 1996 season started, I sat down and made the decision to focus just on my driving. Up until then, I had still been playing football, and I was kind of undecided as to which direction I wanted to go. I gave up football and just about everything else, and really paid attention to the driving. It paid off when I won the first race of the 1996 season at Daytona in the Goody's Dash Series. That was the year I won the Dash Championship, so I guess I made the right decision.
Hello Lyndon! I just recently relocated to the South Carolina area and have learned of some of your, and your daddy's, roots here. I would like to know before your Busch days where did you race in the South Carolina area and did you have a favorite place???? Also do you feel pressured to move up and out of Busch or are you content to ride for the experience and love of it for a while?
Kelly
Lexington, SC
Before Busch, I raced Go-Karts at a number of tracks around SC. When I moved up to the Goody's Dash Series, we raced at Myrtle Beach, Summerville, Florence, I-95 Speedway, Greenville-Pickens, etc.
My favorite track in SC is definitely Darlington. It's the first track that I raced in my Busch car, and I've had some success there. There's a lot of history and heritage at that track, and that's why it's special to me.
As far as pressure to move up to Cup, no, I really don't feel any pressure. I don't want to move up until I can be consistently competitive in the Busch Series. You have to walk before you run, and that's what I'm trying to do now.
Howdy, Lyndon! Thanks for taking time to answer our questions. I'd like to know what the toughest part of changing from one series to another is.
Good luck this season!!!
Raceboy
Seabrook, Texas
The toughest part of moving up is finding the right people to help you to be successful at the next level. Someone who can help you in the Dash Series may not have the skills you need to be successful at the Busch level, and so on.
What would you like to accomplish within your first five years in Winston Cup? All the best to you this season and a great NASCAR career!
John
Bluffton, SC
I want to win as much as possible, just like any driver does. I'd definitely hope that by five years into my Winston Cup career, I'd be working my way towards a Championship. As competitive as it is to be in Cup nowadays, I'm sure I'd be happy to finish a couple of seasons in the top-10 in points in my first five years. Oh, and winning the "Rookie of The Year" title in my first year would be a great accomplishment.
Hey dude! Are you and your team pretty much General Motors loyal, or do y'all explore other options for car makes??
Steve
South Carolina
GM really doesn't help the Busch teams as much as they do the Cup teams, which is understandable. We run whatever's going to work best for us. At this time, the Chevy is what we feel is the best car for the Busch Series, so we're running that. If one of the other manufacturers steps up with a product that we feel is superior for what we're trying to accomplish, we'd definitely take a look at that.
When, or if, do you think that you will make the move to Winston Cup? Thanks and best of luck in 2000!
Charles Johnson
Asheville, NC
As I said earlier, I'll move up when I feel I can be competitive at the Cup level. I want to gain more experience and win some races at the Busch level before I try to make that jump. You only have one chance to make a first impression. When I finally move up to Cup, I want to make a strong first impression.
How old were you when you first started racing?
Laura Lynn
Allentown, PA
I started racing Go-Karts at the age of 15, near my home in Saluda, SC. My friend Brad Pickens had a Go-Kart, and I took some money that I got for my 15th birthday and bought one of my own. It was a total piece of junk! I put on my hunting suit as a firesuit, my hunting boots, and I borrowed my brother's motorcycle helmet, and off I went to the races. I raced Go-Karts with Brad for a year or two, and then moved up from there. I'm proud to say that Brad is still with Team Amick, and he's our lead mechanic and jackman. He even served as Crew Chief for a period of a couple of months back during the 1999 season, and did a phenomenal job.
When do you think you will score your first win?
Aaron
San Diego
Yes, I do hope to win this year. Winning Daytona would be a nice way to start the year.
What track is your favorite to race on?
Logan
Greenville, SC
My favorite track is Daytona, because it's where I won my first Dash Series race, and I've always run well there. I love Talladega, too, because I enjoy drafting a lot. I really don't have a least favorite, I love to race anywhere they'll let me. Some of the smaller tracks don't have nice facilities like the big tracks do, but I'm not really there for the facilities, I'm there to race. Every track has its pros and cons and that's half the fun, figuring out the differences in each track.
How often do you play Nascar3?
Jane
Yes, I play NASCAR3 all the time. Dale Jr., Hank Parker, Jr., and myself all play racing games together. We play online sometimes, and a lot of the fans out there are better at those games than the three of us are. It's scary!!
Hi Lyndon, who is your idol in life?
Bobbi
Charlotte
I don't really have any idols, or at least I don't use that term for them. I look up to God first and foremost. Then I'd have to say that I admire my father a great deal for all he stands for.
Hey Lyndon! First I want to wish to good luck this season and secondly, I would like to know who your favorie driver(s) are?
Tom
In terms of favorite drivers, I really like Terry Labonte, David Pearson, and I was a fan of Davey Allison's as well. I got to spend some time with Bobby Allison at an education conference in Mississippi back in the fall, and I really enjoyed that. He's got some great stories, and he even came to watch me race in Memphis, which was a huge thrill. I admire and respect him a great deal.
What is the best thing about being a driver?
Suzzy
Madison
The best part of my job is definitely winning races. The next best thing is the people I get to meet. I love interacting with the guys in the garage, and I especially enjoy meeting the fans. Everyone is always so kind and friendly, and it makes you feel good to know that there are people out there rooting for you. I'm happy to sign an autograph or take a picture with anyone, especially if they had to stand in an autograph line just to meet me.
When are you getting married?
Carson
Sunny CA
I'm still single, but not for long. I'll be getting married to my fiancée, Melanie Brown, in South Carolina on April 9th.
Thanks to everyone for taking time out to ask me these questions. I hope I was able to let you learn a little more about me, and I definitely enjoyed doing it. I hope to get the chance to answer more questions during the season. Take care and God Bless.
Sincerely,
Lyndon
